Welcome to Commissioner Nick Fish's website

Commissioner Fish is in charge of the Portland Water Bureau and the Bureau of Environmental Services. He is also Council liaison to Elders in Action, Venture Portland, and the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

After six years of working with the Fish team, we bid a fond farewell to our dear friend and colleague George Hocker.

George has served as Nick’s Public Advocate since 2008. He has been the liaison to the Disability Commission, Elders in Actions, Age Friendly Cities, and a variety of other community groups.

George has had a lifetime of accomplishments. A graduate of Howard University, he spent over thirty years working for the Central Intelligence Agency, with significant time spent in Africa, South America, and the South Pacific. George recently served as an administrative Pastor in the faith community before joining the Fish team.

We thank you George, for everything you have done for this office! And, we wish you well on your next adventure.

Trees help contribute to clean rivers and healthy watersheds by keeping rainwater out of our sewer system. A large tree can absorb nearly 600 gallons of stormwater a year! If you plant an eligible tree, BES will credit your city utility bill! Your Treebate credit will depend on your tree’s size and future potential to help manage stormwater.

Treebate is easy: purchase an eligible tree (or trees) and plant it in your residential yard. Then, submit a Treebate application along with your receipt. Applications are due by April 30.

The Bull Run Watershed provides Portlanders with some of the best drinking water in the world. Because it’s so high in quality, we only have to minimally treat our water to make it safe to drink.

The Portland Water Bureau treats our water through a process called chloramination. Chlorine is lightly added at the source to protect us from possible harmful bacteria and micro-organisms. Ammonia is then added to ensure the disinfection remains stable throughout the system as it travels to our homes and businesses.

The bureau tracks our water quality carefully, and adjusts chlorine levels as needed. The bureau will sometimes adjust levels during the warmer months of spring and summer, as warm temperatures could cause chlorine to decrease more rapidly (like evaporation).

Some people are sensitive to changes in chlorine levels. If your water smells like chlorine, you can minimize it by putting water in the refrigerator overnight, adding a slice of lemon or cucumber, or by boiling it.

Visit the Water Bureau’s website to learn more about water quality, or call the Water Quality Line at (503) 823-7525.